Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium

"See also: Votanikos Arena, Panathinaikos"Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Apostolos Nikolaidis StadiumΣτάδιο Απόστολος Νικολαΐδης
nickname = Leoforos


location = Ambelokipi , Athens, Greece
opened = 1922 (renovated 2001)
owner = Amateur Panathinaikos
operator = Panathinaikos A.O. (Legal Entity subject to Private Law)
surface = Grass
construction_cost = 7 million € (2001 renovation)
800k € (2007 renovation)| former_names =
tenants =
Panathinaikos VC (Women)


Panathinaikos BC (Women)

Amateur Departments and Academies
Former Tenants:
Panathinaikos FC

Panathinaikos BC

Greece
seating_capacity =
16,620 (after renovation)

~29,000 (before renovation)

Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium ( _el. Στάδιο Απόστολος Νικολαΐδης) is the football ground Panathinaikos has played for most of the years of its existence, since its foundation back in 1908. The stadium is named after deceased club president Apostolos Nikolaidis. It is in the Ampelokipi district of Athens, east of the Lycabettus Hill and on Alexandras Avenue, by which name it is most commonly known ("Leoforos Alexandras"). The venue also houses a small basketball and volleyball court, a swimming pool, a boxing rink and offices, all contained under the stands.

Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium holds a very important place in the history of Greek football. The first stand was built in 1928, and for almost 50 years it hosted the majority of big matches in domestic and international competitions. It was the first to have floodlights installed (1938) and the first with a grass pitch (1958). It was the home of the Greek National Team for many years.

Panathinaikos left Leoforos in 1984 and moved to the Olympic Stadium. The club returned to their home ground in 2001, following an upgrading that cost €7 million. Time, however, is relentless and Panathinaikos finally left their aging stadium in 2005. Leoforos Stadium will be demolished and the area turned into a park.

Due to the stadium's old construction, dearth of space and dense urbanization of the area, the club has sought to move. Negotiations are currently under way between the Greek government, the Municipality of Athens, and the football, basketball, volleyball and amateur divisions of the club in order to facilitate the building of a new, comprehensive sports complex to house all of the 21 departments of Panathinaikos elsewhere. Finally, the industrial Votanikos district has been selected among others to house the complex and there are plans for the construction to begin in 2008. Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni has stated that such a project will revitalise the area as well as benefit the club.

In January 27, 2007 Panathinaikos Amateur and Panathinaikos FC decided to reuse Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium for the 2007/2008 Greek Super League season.

Indoor Hall

Under the East curve of the stadium, under Gates 6 and 7, there is an Indoor Hall.When it was constructed in 1959, it was the first indoor hall in Greece. It has a capacity of 1.500 and it is famous for the hot atmosphere Panathinaikos fans create in it. It's known by its nickname: "The Indian's Tomb". It was called like that by a journalist during its inauguration ceremony, as the claustrophobic feeling it created reminded him of the namesake film by Fritz Lang that was featured in cinemas during the same time. This nickname was so successful, that it was immediately adopted and is used until today to -informally- distinguish the indoor hall from the other facilities of the stadium.

Other facilities

Apart from the football field and the indoor hall, the stadium includes a number of other facilities under its stands.These include the main shop of Panathinaikos football team, a cafe, a Pressroom and rooms for the training of other Amateur departments such as boxing, weightlifting, table-tennis etc., including a pool for the swimming department.

Links

* [http://www.stadia.gr/leoforos/leoforos.html "Apostolos Nikolaidis" Stadium History (in English)]